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Do you celebrate Christmas in July?

Believe it or not, many people start to feel a little nostalgic for winter weather and twinkling lights in the middle of the summer. They are actually excited at the prospect of baking, shopping and gift wrapping.

Why not? It’s only five more months until Christmas!

Actually, at Mid-Atlantic Packaging, we think that July is the perfect time to start looking toward the holidays. If you start planning now, you can avoid the last-minute rush. Imagine being able to relax and enjoy Christmas without feeling like you’re being timed by a stopwatch.

With this in mind, we would like to propose some creative gift wrapping ideas for your consideration. Now is the perfect time to start planning how your products can be made festive just in time for the holidays.

1. Make Gift Basket Bundles

Who doesn’t love to receive a gorgeous gift basket that is filled with a variety of goodies? Your gift baskets can become the must-have present of the season not only because of the quality of the products in the basket but also because everything is already wrapped and ready to go.

With professionally packaged gift baskets, your customers can rest assured that their products take center stage at any holiday gathering. A basket container or market tray, each available in a wide assortment of prints and styles, is the perfect way to corral numerous smaller items.

To cushion your products, choose some crinkle shred. This environmentally friendly option ensures that nothing in the basket gets rattled around or broken. Crinkle shred is available in tons of colors and quantities, and when the Christmas season is over, it easily can be recycled.

To complete the basket, enclose the whole gift in a basket-sized cello bag that lets the customer see exactly what’s inside while still providing a protective covering. Top it off with a pull bow in red, green or another festive color to make an eye-catching gift basket.

2. Make Your Shipping Boxes Festive

Do you remember the tags that you used to put on gifts that said, “Do not open until December 25th?” When you choose to use festive shipping boxes, you’re encouraging people to do just that. If you select a really beautiful and memorable shipping box that includes your company’s name, then you’ve also done a fantastic job of making your brand stand out from the crowd.

Why should you switch up your shipping boxes in the holiday season? Here are a few reasons:

• It makes your brand seem more human and relatable to your customers;
• Festive boxes actually can get customers excited about your brand;
• Customers might just take a picture of a pretty, festive box and put it on their social media;
• Your brand’s unique holiday shipping box stands out from the crowd;
• Special packaging makes whatever is inside feel even more like a gift.

Switching to festive shipping boxes is a great way to drum up enthusiasm and word of mouth. Be sure you try it this year.

3. Little Touches Count

Maybe your budget doesn’t quite stretch to a line of holiday shipping boxes. Or, perhaps you are looking for something a little more understated.

If so, then consider going with a smaller accent like a personalized ribbon or a custom printed label. These are inexpensive touches that really dial up the customized feeling of a gift.

If your company has a signature color or pair of colors, use these to design your personalized ribbon. One color can be the background while the other color can be used to print your company’s name and logo. For extra flair, include your company’s phone number or website because you want to be certain that people can easily get in touch with you again.

Custom printed labels are yet another option for differentiating your products from those of your competition. With a surprisingly luxe look, a custom label can make a huge difference in the cachet of your product. In the right colors and with the perfect font, a custom label is a quick and simple way to make any bag or box look upmarket and expensive. Choose elegant one-color labels, foil labels or full-color paper labels in a range of shapes and sizes. There are no wrong choices here!

4. Add Festive Bags to Your Packages

When you ship out products to customers, do you normally just put them in a shipping box with some padding? That’s totally acceptable for most of the year, but at Christmas, you may want to dial things up a notch.

One fun but easy way to do this is to put each product into a Christmas gift bag before you put it into a shipping box. When customers open the box, they feel like they are receiving a gift, even if the ultimate recipient is someone else.

Most customers love this small, personalized touch. In fact, they usually end up using the gift bag when it’s time to present the gift to its recipient. They will probably appreciate that you took the time to take some of the hassle out of the holidays for them.

5. Include a Personalized Note

This is a fantastic idea, especially if you are part of a new, small business. When you are just starting out, you know that every sale counts. Including a personalized note from the owner or another stakeholder in the business is an unforgettable touch that your customers will always appreciate.

These personalized notes do not have to be long. Just a handwritten missive that says, “Merry Christmas,” or “Enjoy the Gift,” with your signature is enough. However, if you have time, it can’t hurt to add a few more details to tell the customer that this gift was made just for them. If you need some special paper or labels for this project, just ask Mid-Atlantic Packaging. We have some great ideas for you!

6. Spruce Up Counter Displays

Will you be highlighting some of your store’s smaller treasures at the checkout stand this holiday season? If so, then you may want to consider displaying a variety of these in gift boxes. This will give customers ideas for how to present the gifts so that they have the biggest impact. Or, you can sell the customer the pre-packaged counter displays for an easy, last-minute gift idea.

7. Coordinate Your Entire Store

If you have a brick-and-mortar location, then you want to entice people through your doors by making your store as festive as possible. Once you have chosen your color scheme and wrapping paper for your products, consider using that paper to decorate your store as well.

Shelves can be wrapped in gift paper, and so can works of art that are hanging on the wall. You might even consider wrapping the checkout stand or one of the doors. This level of coordination is really pleasing to the eye. Plus, it makes your store look incredibly festive. Everyone will want to come in at least to look around, and that can translate to sales.

Even if you don’t have a brick-and-mortar retail location, consider decorating your company website in colors and patterns that are similar to those of the holiday gift wrap you have chosen. It’s a great way to maximize a theme.

Start Planning the Holiday Season Now

Talk to the gift wrapping and packaging experts at Mid-Atlantic Packaging today to start planning your holiday campaign. Ordering wrapping and packaging supplies early is more important than ever this year. Why is it vital that you get your order in to Mid-Atlantic Packaging as soon as you can?

• Manufacturer lead times are especially long this year;
• Extended shipping time is required for all imported bags;
• Some colors in bags and boxes may require more time to ship; and
• In-house printing projects need four weeks from the moment that custom art is approved.

That’s why Mid-Atlantic Packaging celebrates Christmas in July every year. This is the ideal time to start looking ahead and making plans for an especially festive holiday season.

That is particularly true if you are hoping to take advantage of our in-house Art Design Department. If you don’t have a custom logo, let us design one for you! Or, if you want to create a coordinated packaging program just in time for holiday shipping, we are your one-stop destination!

Of course, creating custom designs and coordinated packaging programs takes time. The good news is that you can beat the rush by planning for the holidays now. We can help you build a complete, coordinated packaging program for Christmas and the rest of the year as well.

Get started today by contacting Mid-Atlantic Packaging. Whether you are starting from scratch or have some very decided ideas about what you want to do about your company’s holiday packaging, you’ve come to the right place.